1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radiator core support that is made of a combination of metal members and plastic material for supporting a heat exchanger and is adapted for a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some of conventional radiator core supports adapted for motor vehicles are constructed so that all parts of the radiator core supports are made from either one of plastic material and metal material. The radiator core supports entirely made from the metal material ensure high rigidity at any portions thereof, but they are too heavy in weight. The radiator core supports entirely made from the plastic material can decrease their weight, but they usually have a portion of low rigidity.
In order to obtain radiator core supports with lighter weight and lower rigidity, conventional radiator core supports, made of a combination of metal members and plastic material, are used. Specifically, the metal members are used at low-rigidity portions of the radiator core support entirely made of the plastic material, instead of using their corresponding portion made of the plastic material or with using their corresponding portion made of the plastic material.
Such conventional radiator core supports are disclosed in Japanese patents laid-open publication No. 2002-37130, No. (Tokkaihei) 10-264855, No. 2003-300483, and No. (Tokkaihei) 05-105115.
The above known conventional radiator core supports, however, encounter problems in that there is room for improvement in the rigidity and the weight of the conventional radiator supports, because the rigidity of the conventional core supports are improved by replacing only weak plastic portions thereof with metal members and/or adding the metal members to the weak plastic portions, allowing for only the weak portions in part, not entirely. On the other hand, they have excessive thickness and/or configuration, wasting their material.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to a provide radiator core support which overcomes the foregoing drawbacks and can strengthen rigidity and decrease weight and excessive portion of an entire radiator core support more than the conventional radiator core supports using the plastic material and the metal members, thereby improving stability and controllability of a motor vehicle.